Why is my hen YELLOW?

[Eggwell]

My beautiful dominique hen has a yellow face. She did have a nice red face up until about a month ago. When I noticed I began giving her vitamins, but she is still yellow. She doesn't behave like she feels well. At one point I put her up in quarantine. She ate and drank okay so I let her back out. I thought with time and supplements it would go away. Has anyone out there seen anything like this?

Here is a picture of what she used to look like to compare. Sincerely worried about my girl. I would appreciate any information.

 

[glandongirl]

I don't have advice on why she turned yellow but if she is eating and drinking then that is a good sign. I noticed you called het a Dominique and that is what the guy at the feed store said when I bought mine. I thought I wasgetting a barred rock. Can I ask you about the differences? My Opal is very loud in the mornings. I realize this is her egg laying song but it is annoying. Is that s trait of a Dominique? Also she may make all that noise and then not lay an egg that day or not until mid morning or afternoon. Also she loves to be around me if I sit outside and has jumped onto my shoulder. Now she tried flying up to branches in my apple tree and she dive bombed my cat. Are these all normal behavior?

 

[chickengeorgeto]

I believe that I would weigh her every week and keep a record of her weight. If it begins to drop that could be a sign of a chronic disease.

She looks like she is loosing her red pigment more than she seems to be turning yellow. Her eye color certainly doesn't look good. Then again at this time of year & with shortened daylight hours and the molt it may be nothing, but it bares watching.

 

[Sue Gremlin]

I would suspect liver failure. That appears to be jaundice. It could be from her ingestion of some sort of toxin. Is this possible? I would prevent her from free ranging so you can control what she eats.

 

[Eggwell]

I don't have advice on why she turned yellow but if she is eating and drinking then that is a good sign. I noticed you called het a Dominique and that is what the guy at the feed store said when I bought mine. I thought I wasgetting a barred rock. Can I ask you about the differences? My Opal is very loud in the mornings. I realize this is her egg laying song but it is annoying. Is that s trait of a Dominique? Also she may make all that noise and then not lay an egg that day or not until mid morning or afternoon. Also she loves to be around me if I sit outside and has jumped onto my shoulder. Now she tried flying up to branches in my apple tree and she dive bombed my cat. Are these all normal behavior?

Dominique have a rose comb, which is almost flat. Barred rock have a single comb, which stands straight up like most other chickens.

I'm not sure about yours being loud. I have Buff Orpingtons that are quiet except for one hen that gets really loud when she lays an egg. Also I have Rhode Island Reds that are quiet except for a couple of hens, that get loud when they lay eggs. My Dominique hens are all pretty quiet. My Barred Rock rooster crows quiet a bit, but most of my hens are fairly quiet. Maybe it's depends on the hen as an individual, I'm not sure.

It sounds like you have a very happy little hen. I myself enjoy watching unique behavior out of some of my hens. My chickens don't care for my cat. They feel threatened when she comes around, and I seen some that look like they were ready to fight, but never on the attack. I think you have a fun little hen.

 

[Eggwell]

I would suspect liver failure. That appears to be jaundice. It could be from her ingestion of some sort of toxin. Is this possible? I would prevent her from free ranging so you can control what she eats.

That was my thought as well, I never noticed her looking that way until we went through certification for NPIP. When they tested my chicks, they put a q-tip down the throats of every so many for a swab. Could she have digested a piece of q-tip? When I let them out for free ranging, she wants to stay near the coop. She doesn't venture off with the rest of the flock. I will take all the advice I've received thus far and separate her and watch her weight, food, and water.

 

[glandongirl]

Possible liver problems, that is scary. I think watching her weight and diet may help. Also I think certain vegetables can help clear toxins out of a person, maybe that would work with her as well. Good luck!

 

[casportpony]

This is supposed to help support the liver:




Google fatty liver disease.

-Kathy

 

[Syowell]

That was my thought as well, I never noticed her looking that way until we went through certification for NPIP. When they tested my chicks, they put a q-tip down the throats of every so many for a swab. Could she have digested a piece of q-tip? When I let them out for free ranging, she wants to stay near the coop. She doesn't venture off with the rest of the flock. I will take all the advice I've received thus far and separate her and watch her weight, food, and water.

I have one almost the exact same right now. She is very lethargic. I believe she has jaundice as well, from either a toxin or just ill. She has been getting progressively worse. I won't free range any of them right now due to a fox killing one and maiming another, but she may have been exposed weeks ago to a toxin. I think maybe just illness because none of the others have that issue and they all free range. I am betting she won't make it, though.